Treated bird seed preferentially palatable to birds but not palatable to animals having capsaicin sensitive receptors

ABSTRACT

The present invention is directed to preparations of birdseed treated with capsaicin or capsaicin derivatives or analogues thereof in an amount sufficient to be unpalatable to animals having capsaicin sensitive receptors, and more specifically to mammals such as rodents. These &#34;hot&#34; compounds, extracts or whole plant material containing these compounds may be coated on, impregnated in or combined (e.g., mixed) with birdseed to repel troublesome mammals which recognize these compounds as &#34;hot&#34;. These &#34;hot&#34; compounds, in contrast, will not repel birds because birds do not recognize these compounds as &#34;hot&#34; since they do not have capsaicin sensitive receptors. The invention is further directed to a method of selectively repelling animals having capsaicin sensitive receptors, which comprises feeding the treated birdseed of the invention to birds, in an amount effective for repelling animals having capsaicin sensitive receptors, thereby discouraging said animals from eating the treated birdseed.



